Rankings Reflect Rising Standard Of Canterbury Swimming

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31071, 28 May 1966, Page 15

Rankings Reflect Rising Standard Of Canterbury Swimming

rpHE standard of competiA tive swimming in Canterbury, so often the cause of dark mutterings among administrators, glows with robust health through the figures in the 1965-66 national ranking list.

Swimmers from Christchurch occupy 36 places among the leading competitors in the 23 events—giving Canterbury second place to Auckland among the country’s 16 centres.

Of particular merit are the efforts of Miss T. K. Shipston, the Empire Games swimmer from the Elmwood club. Although she will still be a junior next season, she leads New Zealand’s women in both the 220 yd and 440 yd medley and commands a place in the top 10 competitors in 110 yd and 220 yd

backstroke, 110 yd butterfly and 220 yd breaststroke.

Canterbury’s strength in boys’ freestyle is reflected in the placings of A. B. Kindred, D. M. Hindle, L. Furness and B. M. Mustchin, all juniors, in the open lists. Kindred and Furness have gained places in three of the four freestyle distances.

A high general standard is also shown by Canterbury in women’s backstroke and 110 yd butterfly. In the latter event, Misses Shipston, J. Halsey, L. Falk and M. Slade are all in the country’s best 10.

R. D. Walker (Wellington) has retained his supremacy in all four men’s freestyle events by clear margins, and three others, G. Smith (Auckland), G. Dempsey (Taranaki) and D. Hender-

son (Wellington), have achieved rankings in the four distances.

The versatility of A. H. Seagar (Auckland) has been substantiated by his placings in eight of the 12 men's events. Walker and Misses Shipston, M. Macrae (Auckland) and D. Myers (Otago) are ranked in six events.

Each of the women’s freestyle lists is headed by a different swimmer—Misses J-Vanston (Wellington), A. McMillan (Canterbury) and S. Woonton (Auckland)—an occurrence duplicated only in women’s backstroke, in this stroke the champion. Miss Macrae, is first over 220 yd but only third to the juniors. Misses G. Stirling and Shipston, at the shorter distance.

Misses Stirling end Shipston are the only juniors to gain first place in an event, but the younger competitors have fared well down the lists in women's breaststroke. Eight juniors gained places on the 220 yd list, and seven were ranked over 110 yd.

Auckland retains its place as the leading swimming centre with 82 rankings, followed by Canterbury, 36, Wellington, 28, and Otago. 22. Taranaki has improved its standing with 15 rankings, but Waikato has fallen back through the loss of Misses McMillan and Halsey to Canterbury. It is now equal with Bay of Plenty in seventh place. behind Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay.

The rankings are:—